The country's air passenger numbers are forecast to reach an all-time high in the current financial year, according to a new report, underlining the speed at which India's aviation sector is recovering from the pandemic impacts. Credit ratings agency Icra predicts passenger volumes will grow 8-11% to touch 40.7-41.8 million passengers in 2025, setting a fresh record. This strong growth is expected to boost revenues significantly for major Indian airports over the next year.
Icra sampled data from airports managed by the state-run Airports Authority of India as well as key facilities in Delhi, Hyderabad and Kochi. It estimates their combined revenues will rise 15-17% in the ongoing fiscal compared to last year. India had already surpassed pre-Covid passenger levels in 2024 with over 37.6 million flyers, reflecting a full rebound both domestically and internationally.
Domestic traffic alone is projected to reach 33-34 million passengers in 2025, up 20-24% from pre-pandemic levels. International flyers may touch 7.7-8 million, expanding passenger volumes abroad by 16-20% versus prior to the health crisis. Among top global airports, only Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport ranked within the 10 busiest globally, with a 5% higher recovery rate than the average 98% seen elsewhere.
Most airports worldwide seeing faster recovery leveraged strong growth in local traffic, similar to large Indian hubs dependent on robust domestic demand. While international travel is bouncing back strongly, domestic demand continues outpacing the international segment in India as well as other major aviation markets. With both leisure and business flyers returning, along with new routes enhancing connectivity domestically and internationally, Indian aviation appears well placed to keep outpacing wider industry recovery trends.
